physical geography

3 definitions found

physical geography - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  geography \ge*og"ra*phy\, n.; pl. Geographies. [F.
     g['e]ographie, l. geographia, fr. Gr. ?; ge`a, gh^, the earth
     + ? description, fr. ? to write, describe. See Graphic.]
     1. The science which treats of the world and its inhabitants;
        a description of the earth, or a portion of the earth,
        including its structure, features, products, political
        divisions, and the people by whom it is inhabited. It also
        includes the responses and adaptations of people to
        topography, climate, soil and vegetation
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     2. A treatise on this science.
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     Astronomical, or Mathematical, geography treats of the
        earth as a planet, of its shape, its size, its lines of
        latitude and longitude, its zones, and the phenomena due
        to to the earth's diurnal and annual motions.
  
     Physical geography treats of the conformation of the
        earth's surface, of the distribution of land and water, of
        minerals, plants, animals, etc., and applies the
        principles of physics to the explanation of the
        diversities of climate, productions, etc.
  
     Political geography treats of the different countries into
        which earth is divided with regard to political and social
        and institutions and conditions.
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  Physical \Phys"ic*al\ (f[i^]z"[i^]*kal), a.
     1. Of or pertaining to nature (as including all created
        existences); in accordance with the laws of nature; also,
        of or relating to natural or material things, or to the
        bodily structure, as opposed to things mental, moral,
        spiritual, or imaginary; material; natural; as, armies and
        navies are the physical force of a nation; the body is the
        physical part of man.
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              Labor, in the physical world, is . . . employed in
              putting objects in motion.            --J. S. Mill.
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              A society sunk in ignorance, and ruled by mere
              physical force.                       --Macaulay.
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     2. Of or pertaining to physics, or natural philosophy;
        treating of, or relating to, the causes and connections of
        natural phenomena; as, physical science; physical laws.
        "Physical philosophy." --Pope.
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     3. Perceptible through a bodily or material organization;
        cognizable by the senses; external; as, the physical,
        opposed to chemical, characters of a mineral.
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     4. Of or pertaining to physic, or the art of medicine;
        medicinal; curative; healing; also, cathartic; purgative.
        [Obs.] "Physical herbs." --Sir T. North.
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              Is Brutus sick? and is it physical
              To walk unbraced, and suck up the humors
              Of the dank morning?                  --Shak.
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     Physical astronomy, that part of astronomy which treats of
        the causes of the celestial motions; specifically, that
        which treats of the motions resulting from universal
        gravitation.
  
     Physical education, training of the bodily organs and
        powers with a view to the promotion of health and vigor.
        
  
     Physical examination (Med.), an examination of the bodily
        condition of a person.
  
     Physical geography. See under Geography.
  
     Physical point, an indefinitely small portion of matter; a
        point conceived as being without extension, yet having
        physical properties, as weight, inertia, momentum, etc.; a
        material point.
  
     Physical signs (Med.), the objective signs of the bodily
        state afforded by a physical examination.
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physical geography - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  physical geography
      n 1: the study of physical features of the earth's surface [syn:
           physical geography, physiography]